Should beginners start out on plush bikes?

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Hey Lee,
Here is a didactic question for you: Is it better for a beginner to start out on a bike that’s overkill for the trails they normally ride (e.g. a 6″ travel AM bike for tame trails) or is it best to learn on a less plush bike so they really must learn handling skills (assuming that person could afford to purchase either)? I kind of think the former is true…

My wife had a mid price hard tail and never made any progression in handling skills because going fast felt harsh and scary. She was afraid to try anything new, rode slowly and only on the easiest trails. Then she got a hand-me-down long travel AM bike. She was instantly more comfortable at speeds and started to venture into more technical terrain. And she got a lot better. Now she can take the hard tail out and rip and enjoys the added challenge of the smaller bike. So the plush bike was like training wheels that allowed her to learn how to ride.

Of course one could make the opposite argument, like why BMX riders are often so darn good at mountain biking.

I would love to know your thoughts-Thanks! Jake

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Stopping the negative thought spiral

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Hey Lee,

Just wondering if you had any advice for helping me break the vicious cycle I seem to be stuck in at the moment.

At the beginning of this year, I felt like my riding was improving and my confidence was building with most every ride. There was the occasional setback, but I found it easy to shrug it off and not dwell on it.

The past couple months haven’t been so rosy. March started off with a couple crashes that were a little more significant, but still nothing I’d consider major. Some cracked/separated ribs were about the extent of the injuries. However, ever since, I’ve struggled with sections of trails that used to be no problem. I find myself focusing on negative possibilities rather than positive outcomes. Of course, this leads to crashes and close calls, which tend to make me more cautious, which leads to further undesirable situations, and so on.

I know what I’m doing wrong (mentally) but I can’t seem to snap my brain out of it. I keep trying to push through it, but it’s starting to not be fun anymore.

Thanks for any advice you can send my way.

Eric

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Lee likes road skills

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Hi all, I updated my clinics page with info on road riding. Road bikes are rad — especially when you know how to Ride them (capital R).

Skills clinics with Lee > Road

It’s raining today. The way things are going, I might start teaching trainer clinics …

Temporary pump track for event in Finland

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I sent a ready-to-build design spec to our man Tapio in Finland, and he’s built a temporary track for the Stadibike event. After the event, he’s gonna move the dirt and build a permanent version of the track nearby. Pump Track Nation!

Check out the videos:

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Teaching tip for leaning bike more than body?

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Hey Lee,
I have been working with a couple of people for a while now and I just can’t get them to lean their bike more than their body. They came to MTB quite recently from other sports and nothing I have tried with them will get them to forget their deeply ingrained past.

Got any hot tips on a drill to make people see the light? I was getting them to slalom down a slope on slippery grass where it is about the only way to get around the corners, but it didn’t work for them.

I went back to your book today hoping there was something. While it talks about the importance of cornering that way, it doesn’t provide a skills drill for it.

Cheers man!
Michael

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Chocolate milk and recovery

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Hi Lee,

Can you share any good foods, drinks or shake recipes that you may use to speed muscle recovery when riding many days back to back? I typically try and drink milk or chocolate milk right after I ride, and generally eat high protein and high fiber foods.

Thanks a bunch and ride on!

Jon in Vermont

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Cancelled: tomorrow’s Ranchstyle clinic

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The Ranchstyle event in Grand Junction, CO is still happening this weekend. No changes, as far as I know to the comps or other clinics.

Unfortunately, I had to cancel my Friday clinic. I apologize to the riders who registered. Life with a capital L. If you registered for my clinic, I’ll give you $50 off a class in the Boulder area.

Where should we build our Deutsch pump track?

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Hey Lee,

Thanks to Welcome to Pump Track Nation, I am working on my pumptrack project and things look good, Germany) will support the project. They will even allow us to use a piece of public property to build the track on. Right now I’m thinking about the exact location and this is where I have one or two questions.

• The track could be close to some trees which would mean shade from around noon in summer, but also leaves in fall. Alternatively it could be built in some distance to those trees (no shade at all).

• In your book you write that water is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately a connection to the water main is rather difficult at the site. For the building process we could use water from a tank truck. As for the maintenance of the track – is water really necessary for this? Dust is not a factor. Generally, I think we have much more rain (let’s call it precipitation to sound smarter 😉 – you see, I also enjoy the linguistic finesse of your books) in Germany than you do in the Midwest.

Thanks for your advice!

Ralf

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The mysterious wandering front wheel

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Hi Lee,

Hope you’re doing well. I’ve been mountain biking quite a bit and I have a question. When I’m riding slowly up a hill, I have trouble keeping the front wheel from wandering back and forth. The hills aren’t that steep and the wheel doesn’t feel light. Leaning forward to get more weight on the wheel doesn’t seem to help. It just seems that I have trouble holding a straight line at low speed without losing my balance. I’ve been doing standing track stands and have gotten pretty good, but other riders seem to be able to keep their front wheel straight better than me while riding seated and slowly. Of course, having the front wheel wander back and forth wastes energy and also makes it more difficult to hold a good path between the rocks. Any suggestions?

Regards,
Chuck (a Jedi Knight clinic graduate)

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Speaking of pump tracks at schools …

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In comments for Save the pump track at Clayton Middle School in Salt Lake City, Teacher Jeff Zook hinted a campus pump track might interfere with class time — but imagine the teaching opportunities.

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Save the pump track at Clayton Middle School in Salt Lake City

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This just in from the Pump Track Nation. If you live in SLC (or even, I suppose, if you don’t), please consider passing this note along to the mayor.

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More weight forward on an all-mountain hardtail?

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Hi Lee. I am reading your book. Love it! Your skill and experience are unquestionable.

My question is: You say keep the weight into the BB at all times to keep balance. I have heard magazines here in the UK say some hardtails make possible a more weight forward position and this works well as you can “lean on the fork”, and allow the rear wheel to be lighter to skip over things and generally dance about while the front stays glued and where you want it to go. The rear just follows in its own way!

I’m from England and have recently got a Ragley Blue Pig. A big step up from my previous XC bike. I think you should check them out. They are more all mountain hardtail than anything. Really strong, stiff, super slack front end (67.5 sagged, 65.6 no sag – 140mm fork,sagged 40mm), and SUPER steep seat angles for climbing. Long top tubes designed to run really small stems and super wide bars. Optimized for 130-150 forks.

When I tried what you mentioned on it, it felt the rear wheel was getting hammered and I felt like I might be getting more beat up (than normal!). I am wondering if I would be best putting a little pressure on the bars as well for this kind of bike? And if I do, would I do this at all times, inc. for braking? And how much would “just a little” be?

I know you are the best man to ask for this.

Thanks,
Andrew.

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